


Talk It Over

by pulangaraw



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, cacw fixit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2016-05-23
Packaged: 2018-06-10 06:09:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6942949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pulangaraw/pseuds/pulangaraw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How do you fix an unfixable situation. Talking to people is a start.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Talk It Over

**Author's Note:**

> This has been eating at me since I saw CACW last week and I just had to write it to stop being so very mad at Steve and feeling so very sorry for Bucky and Tony. It's not a complete solution, but I'd like to think that somehow they manage to talk it all out and fix this damn thing without killing each other in the process.

"Hey Sam, you alright?" Steve asked as he settled next to Sam on the windowsill. Even after a couple weeks the view was still breathtaking. The deep, lush green of the jungle, interspersed with almost black rock walls shimmering in the moist heat of the day, was so very different from anything they were used to.

Sam cast a pensive glance sideways before resuming his study of the vista.

"I'm just wondering if we're doing the right thing here, Steve." 

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we're here, not worrying about a thing, and Tony's out there dealing with the whole mess that we've all created."

Steve's expression darkened. "We did what we did to save people. Tony just doesn't understand-"

"I'm not talking about Barnes," Sam interrupted the rant before Steve really got going again. 

"Well, not entirely. I'm talking about taking responsibility for the things we've done. We wrecked an entire airport, Steve. People died or got injured - we almost killed a friend. Are you honestly going to tell me that doesn't bother you?" 

"We were trying to stop Zemo from releasing more killers onto the world. What else were we supposed to do?"

"That's just it. I'm wondering if it would have been so wrong to ask first?"

"They tried to kill Bucky." Steve's hands clenched in his lap.

They were silent for long minutes.

"Have you ever wondered how much of what you did was motivated by trying to save your best friend, rather than by trying to save the world?" Sam asked eventually. 

Steve pressed his lips together.

"I'm not saying you were wrong." Sam continued gently, "What happened to Barnes was horrific. And I would do the same again. All I'm trying to figure out is whether it's right to let Tony deal with all the consequences by himself. You know he's paying for the repairs of the airport out of his own pocket. We're just as responsible for the whole mess as he is."

"Well, he brought it onto himself. He could've just come here with us-"

Sam interrupted him again. "Really, Steve?"

"He tried to kill Bucky!"

"He'd just found out that Barnes killed his parents - how would you have reacted if the roles had been reversed?"

"I would have listened..." Steve started lamely. 

Sam let out a snort.

Steve sighed. "I told him, we'd be there for him if he needs us. All he has to do is reach out."

"And what? How are you planning on helping him when we're all stuck here as fugitives?"

"What do you want me to do?" Steve sounded pained. 

"I don't know man. But maybe it would help if we actually listened to what Tony is trying to say. The man's not stupid. He's not just gonna sign his freedom away over some misplaced guilt. He must have a plan."

"What about Bucky?"

"Like I said. Talk to him. Bucky deserves a fair trial. Tony deserves to know the whole truth. So do a bunch of other people. Hell, we all deserve to tell our side of the story." 

"I'm not giving him up. Not again."

Sam shrugged. "I'm not asking you to. All I'm asking is that you start talking about it. Face the reality of the situation. I've the feeling T'Challa would be more than happy to help with any of the official stuff."

There was another long silence. 

"Clint really misses his family," Steve said eventually. 

"So do I." Sam smiled. "And as much as I like the stunning view and impressive technology here, I really miss junk food and bad American TV." 

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but so do I."

Sam leaned over to bump his shoulder against Steve's.

"Time to face the music, eh."

"We'll do it together. All of us. It's what the team is for."

 

~~~~

 

Tony was sitting in the workshop, blankly staring at the clamshell phone. All he had to do was reach out and press the button. But what was the point? Nothing had really changed. And he was so damned tired of having shouting matches with Captain Fucking High And Mighty. 

The door hissed open and Rhodey's metallic steps echoed in the silence of the room. Another reminder of his screw-ups.

"Hey Tony. You okay?" Rhodey slowly lowered himself onto the sofa.

"Peachy." Tony pushed away from the workbench and rotated the chair to face his friend. "How's the legs? Any complaints?"

"The legs are fine, Tony. But you're not."

Tony whisked a holographic display into the air between them. "I'm not talking about it."

"That's a shame, 'cause Natasha is up there and I'm pretty sure she wants to talk about it."

Tony wiped the display away. "Natasha is here?"

"Uhu. Looks like she's planning on staying, too."

Tony made it up to the common room in record time. Natasha was sitting on the sofa, looking tired. Vision was hovering nearby, clearly unsure of how to approach the situation. 

Tony came to a stop in front of the sofa. 

"Did you know?"

"Hello to you too, Tony."

"Hello Natasha. Did you know?" 

Tony put his hands on his hips in order to avoid balling them into fists. An unfriendly observer might have called it 'posturing' but fortunately all the potentially unfriendly observers were currently holed up in some godforsaken jungle on another continent. 

Natasha sighed. "About your parents? No, I didn't. I'm sorry you had to find out the way you did. Steve could have handled that better."

Tony snorted derisively. "You can say that again. Makes one wonder what other dirty little secrets Captain Frostbite decided to keep to himself."

"Why don't you sit down, Tony, and we talk about it like adults."

Tony was tempted to remind her that he rarely behaved like one, but Rhodey quietly folding himself into the sofa next to her and Vision drifting towards one of the empty armchairs made him reconsider. Like it or not, he was going to have to talk about it. He sank into another armchair.

"There's one thing you have to understand about Steve," Natasha continued, "when it comes to James Barnes he is not going to be objective. Ever."

"You think I don't know that?"

"No, I think you need to be reminded of it so that you can start working on forgiving him for hurting you."

"I don't need-," Tony started, but Vision interrupted him.

"Miss Romanov is correct in her assessment of the situation. If there is to be a chance of reuniting the Avengers, you and Captain Rogers must work through your differences."

Tony ran a hand through his hair. He looked around the quiet, mostly empty room and could feel the loss of his team members on an almost physical level. He'd tried so hard to make it work, but he'd messed it all up again. It seemed no matter what he did, he'd never get it right. 

"I don't know how," he said quietly, more to himself than to the others. 

"If I understand the situation correctly, there are three distinct problems we need to solve. One is the Accords, the second is the dropping of charges against the team members currently residing in Wakanda and the third is the issue of James Barnes," Vision said.  


"The Accords are easily sorted. I've already got a plan in place to make sure nobody can use the Avengers for their personal gain once the Accords are signed by everyone," Tony said, wiping the issue away with a quick wave of his hands.

"I think between me, Natasha and Sam Wilson we have enough clout to get the brass to drop the charges against the others or at least get them off with a slap on the wrist," Rhodey said pensively. 

Natasha nodded. "That leaves Sergeant Barnes."

They all looked at Tony. 

Tony cleared his throat. "I want him in a court of law. He has to be made accountable for the things he did. I want to know who gave the orders. I want them all to pay for their crimes."

"I hope you're aware that for a lot of those things he wasn't given a choice. He might not even remember most them. Are you really going to make him pay for something he did while brainwashed?" Natasha said.

"That's for a jury to decide." Tony's voice was cold.

Natasha watched him for a long moment. Tony held her gaze. Then she nodded. "Steve wont like it much, but I think Barnes himself wouldn't be against the idea. As long as we can guarantee a fair trial, Steve can be persuaded. And I think King T'Challa might be able and willing to help ensure that Barnes really gets a fair trial."

"Fine with me."

Rhodey and Vision nodded their agreement. 

"Great," Natasha said and it didn't even sound ironic. "All we need now is a phone number and a secure conference call to get the others talking."

Tony stood up. "I've got the number. I'll set up a secure line in the workshop. Come down once you've had a shower and something to eat. Vision's gotten quite good at cucumber sandwiches. Bring some with you when you come down."

Natasha gave him a rare smile. "Sounds like a party."

 

The End


End file.
